Dental stress breaker



Feb. 4, 1930. 3, GROVE 1,746,037

DENTAL STRESS" BREAKER Filed 001:. 6, 1927 Patented ch. 4 1930 oARIJ :r.'GRov ,-or s'r. rnuniviiivnnsorn DE AL s'rnnss' BREAKER I ll'ppl icat'ion, filed october 6, 192v; Serial no. 224,376.

7 i inventioniel'ates to a dental stress breaker and is" particularly: adapted for use .in supporting a partial denture ina manner to, prevent undue strain or stress on the teeth I i 5 adapted to hold the partial denture." v

An object of my invention resides. in employing an auxiliary bar associated with the mastication and to permit the denture to cushion on the'supporting ridge." :My dental.

stress-breaker is "designed tofrelieve both horizontal and lateral stress; givingalmost universal m'ovementi 'an'd at the same time holding the denture-firmly against the soft tissues of the mouth; v I-Ier'etofore in vusing a lingual bar as appliefd to partial denture without myst're'ss breaker the claspswere fastened directly to the lingual bar and every movementof inasti cation in such-a case would be reflected to the anchor teeth which resulting stress would cause a loosening of those anchor teeth and this was a very undesirable! feature of such forms' of. partial dentures where the clasps were fastened directly to the lingual bar.

a dental stress breaker overcomes these detrimental features and provldes a means of anchoring the partial denture to the teeth adjacent the partialdenture Without affecting A the. teeth with undue; stress or strain by mastication on the partialdenture yet firmly anchoring the partial denture in position to be carried by thesoft tissues-f the gum of the ridge where the partial denture is supported.

and details 3 of my invention will-be more clearly and fully set forthin the following specification andclaims. a

In the drawings forming part of my specification Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of a case where my dental stress breaker is employed, showingthe sameholding the partial denture to the anchor teeth. Figure 2is another plan view from a different position of my dental stress-breaker as tions 11 and 12 in a-m'anner to firmly connect These features, together with other objectsit would appear inuse in'h'oldingaparti'al:

denture; v

Figure 3 is a side view of the same. a Figure l'illustrate's' my stress-breaker and clasps removed from the anchorteeth and associated with the partial denture. p Figure 5 is :an enlarged detail partly in .section', showing the lingual bar and myf stress 'breaker ivit'h one; of the clasps for-the anchor teeth. 7 t

In the drawin s I have'i-llustrated a partial denture showingthe lingualbar 10 support ing the plates 'lland 12 of the partial denture. The plate 11 is illustrated with'molars l3 and a'bicuspid 14, while t-h'e'plate 12 carrie two molar-s13 and two bicuspids 14. 1 r.

"'The lingual 10 is formed with *core rugated end portions 15 which are adapted to be anchored in the side wall. of'tthe plate porthe lingual bar 10 thereto so that the lingual bar may'form a brace between the plates 11 and lQ to hold them in position that they I would assume in the individuals mouth wherein thispartial denture is adapted to be placed, The lingual bar 10 forms a bracebe v tween the plates and is adapted to be spaced. in a manner so asto extend slightly away. from the gums so as toleave; the plates of the partial denture free to slightly move in masticatienwithout the bar '10 irritating the gum. a

I I provide mystress-breaker Awhich is composedof the auxiliary bar 16 adapted to extend longitudinally with the lingual bar 10 being. formed with a recessed portion 17 positioned-near the center or. at the front of the lingual bar. By means of the loop 18 which isattached to the lingual bar 10 and which extends over the auxiliary bar 16in the recess 7 V 17, I freely attach the auxiliarybar 16 tothe l lingual bars 10 with a swivel or universal joint permitting free movement between the lingual. bar andthe auxiliary bar, yet' hold- 95 ing the, lingual bar in proper position by the recess 17; in the auxiliary. bar. 2 e My stress-breaker A is provided with clasps 1'9 and 20 on the ends thereof which are shaped to conformwith the particular- 100 teeth such as 21 arr- (1 22, to which the clasps bar as has been done heretofore.

are attached, and these clasps are made for each particular case and soldered onto the auxiliary bar. In the drawings I have illustrated the clasp'19 engaging with the bicuspid 21, while the clasp 20 is adapted to engage with the cuspid 22. These clasps 19 and 20 are formed of a suitable shape to fit around the anchor teeth so as to firmly connect with the same under spring tension to hold the stress-breaker A firmly attached thereto. The clasps 19 and 20 engage the anchor teeth in such a manner that the plates 11 and 12 may be removed if it is desired by theuser of the denture and they can again be readily replaced in the mouth when it is desired. The stress breaker A provides through the loop 18 the loose connection to permit movement of the plates 11 and 12 with the teeth supported therein during mas-- tication without throwing an undesirable strain upon the anchor teeth as is true where the clasps are fastened directly to the lingual Thus my stress-breaker A accomplishes a very desirable result in providing a means of holding partial dentures without injuring the anchor teeth. I

The lingual bar may be of a heavier nature than the auxiliary bar in a manner to form a brace between the plates 11 and 12 and the auxiliary bar is preferably extend-ed in approximately the shape of the front of the lingual bar but being provided with a recessd portion 17 so as to receive the loop '18.

The partial denture is applied to such mouths where teeth are missing and conditions are such that fixed bridge work is con.- tra-indicated. Clasps are used to hold these dentures in place which engage the anchor teeth and my stressbreaker overcomesthe heretofore undesirable construction where the dentures had the clasps attached directly thereto. The free connection of my denture to the stress-breaker provides a very desirable construction as it permits the use of a denture including two plates such as 11 and 12 or a single plate may be used on one side and the lingual bar can be terminated at the loop 18 so that the denture is held in a similar manner to the stress-breaker'just as effectively for one side as it is where there are two plates as illustrated in the drawings. Where one plate such as 11 is used the lingual bar is terminated just beyond the loop 18 as indicated by the line 24 in Figure 4. This gives the proper connection to the stress-v breaker A even where a single plate such as 11 is used for either side of the mouth and it will be readily comprehended that such a structure is highly desirable to protect the anchor teeth against undue strain and stress in supporting a partial denture.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my stress-breaker and while I have illustrated a particular construction and formation of the same it is readily apparent that obvious changes may be made and that partial dentures other than those illustrated may be used within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my in- I 7 with the teeth for the denture therein, said denture being entirely supported by an-auxiliary member adapted to clasp the anchor teeth and a free connection between said lingual bar and said auxiliary member to per mit the denture to assume every movement of mastication without undue stress on the anchor teeth. Y.

2. A dental stress-breaker including, a lingual member, denture plates secured to said member, an auxiliary member, clasps formed on said auxiliary member adapted to engage anchor teeth andentirely support the denture, and a free connection between said lingual member and said auxiliary member to relieve horizontal and lateral stress from the anchor teeth.

3. A stress-breaker for a partial denture including a lingual bar, a partial denture secured to said lingual bar, a stress-breaker bar, clasp means formed integral with said stressbreaker bar for'entirely supporting saiddenture, and. means for freely connecting said lingual bar to said stress-breaker bar.

4. A dental stress-breaker including, a stress-breaker bar, clasps formed integrally on the ends of said bar adapted toengage anchor teeth, a partial denture, a lingual bar engaging said partial denture and a loop extending from said lingual bar around said stress-breaker bar.

5. A dental stress-breakercomprising, a stress breaker bar, clasps formed on the ends thereof, a recess formed in said bar, a lingual bar, a partial denture secured to said lingual bar, and a loop extending from said lingual bar around said'stress-breaker bar.

CARL J. enovn. 

